The Dark Web and You

Why Should I Care About the Dark Web?

Chances are that somewhere out on the Dark Web lies passwords, email address, and other compromising information that relates to your company. From clicking on a scam email to a data breach from a supplier, it’s quite easy for your information to be stolen.

So why should you care, what can you do about it, and how can you protect yourself in the future?

… Here’s what to do:

Find Out Whats Out There

Before you can make an informed decision about what to do and how to protect yourself, you need to know what information hackers already have about your organization.

• Email Credentials such as your email domain (@something.org) can be the first step in a hacker’s assault on your network. Once a hacker knows your email domain, they will try to impersonate a co-worker or boss in an attempt to get you to click on a link or even wire money to an anonymous location. We’ve covered Email Scams before, so be sure to take a look.

• Passwords are obviously sought after by many different hackers. Passwords will allow hackers access to all types of account information, as most users have the same passwords across multiple accounts.

What can you do about it?

Once you know what company information is on the Dark Web, it’s time to take action.

Any of your email addresses that are lurking around the Dark Web should be looked over. Change the passwords on these accounts just in case these accounts were compromised. Additionally, be on the lookout for any impersonation attempts with similar names to these accounts.

Any passwords that have been leaked to the Dark Web need to be changed immediately. Alert the user that the password is compromised and to change the password on any and all accounts they may have used it on. Even a leaked password from years prior can still be a danger if it remains on one account.

How can I protect my company in the future?

1 One of the first things you should do is be sure to have professional IT help at your side. No one can stop employees from clicking on bad links altogether, but with Content Filtering, Managed Firewall, and Dark Web Monitoring, you can ensure your business will be protected from avoidable catastrophes.

2 Cyber Security Training is an easily implementable, manageable, and measurable way of making sure your team knows about email scams, ransomware attacks, and signs of hacking. Endpoint Users are one of the most common attack vectors a hacker will try, and proper educate will mitigate your risks.

3 Following through your cyber security procedures is one of the most important aspects of Protecting Your Business. Many companies come up with plans and procedures but do not enforce these rules or actively work around the rules to make their own lives easier.

Gaps in security will catch up to organizations that ignore their own rules.